N E W   R E L E A S E S

After recently returning to deliver the revisited version of his seminal single ‘A Million Times’ at the end of last year, Swedish artist and producer Summer Heart now continues the support for the 10th anniversary edition of his breakthrough album ‘About A Feeling’ with the revamped version of ‘Kiss Me’.

Continuing to explore more of the knowledge and experience he has garnered since his earliest days, the new rendition of ‘Kiss Me’ looks to add another layer of intrigue to the original version. While Summer Heart himself admits that he has redeveloped this song countless times over the last few years, it is this version that he feels most akin to as it shows the true aesthetic he was looking for when he first wrote it.

Speaking about the new offering, he said, "Kiss Me is one of the last tracks I wrote for About A Feeling. At first I thought I wouldn't finish it in time for the record release, but I really liked it so I worked really hard on it trying to force it in a direction it wasn't supposed to go. When I finally gave up on it and copy pasted the chorus like ten times in a row at the end I kinda realised how the track should sound and I just remade the whole thing into what it was supposed to be. Fun fact is that there are actually a couple of different versions of the original track out there with different lengths of the last chorus. This version is a tribute to the original song. Not better or worse, just something different that I like right here and right now. I hope you enjoy it too"

This commemorative release marks a decade since the unveiling of ‘About A Feeling’, Summer Heart’s breakout project and one that now sits at more than 50 million streams across all platforms. While the more refined approach on the re-envisioned release lies a sonic grade above his old DIY doings of making dream-pop from a bedroom studio, the effort stays true to a skeletal understanding of the genre which made the LP a spearhead of its booming popularity.

Having been performing independently for over eight years, Summer Heart is now signed to the renowned Swedish label Icons Creating Evil Art. With an already impressive roster under their belts, the imprint is set to become a welcome home to the frontman’s breezy and lovable direction.

Kiss Me (revisited)

Summer Heart - Kiss Me (revisited)

Fresh from supporting The Libertines on the Nordic leg of their 2022 tour, Internet Friends have revealed their debut album “Dressed To Kill” is on the way - celebrating the news with their new single “How D’You Like Me Now?” - listen here.

Fredrik Soila, Jakob Falkendal and Noel Hassling-Offrell as Internet Friends are in their element on “How D’You Like Me Now?” with the band describing this new track “as proof that rock music can move forward in a good way. It throws the listener between a messy punk club and your own bedroom”.

“Dressed To Kill” is set for release on Swedish boutique label Icons Creating Evil Art and will feature the previously released title track and Rice Krispies. Enjoying spins on BBC 6 Music, BBC Radio 1’s Future Alternative with Nels Hylton and BBC Radio 1’s Indie Show with Jack Saunders and even charting on Amazing Radio and ESNS Emerging European Chart, Gothenburg-based Internet Friends are ready to take over the airwaves once again. 

Speaking on their new album, Internet Friends say: "It's time to fall in love with an album again. It's time to start fan accounts on all social media. The kind of debut that comes every ten years. Internet Friends release a collection of songs that will fundamentally shake up the indie music scene. Dressed To Kill is the granddaddy of debut albums and it's now your turn to take over and care for this record.”

More from Internet Friends
Official Linktree: https://icea.ffm.to/internetfriends
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/internetfriendsgbg 
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/internwtfriends
Twitter: https://twitter.com/internwtfriends
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/721irRL7arkfrdGgkOImcM
Apple Music: https://music.apple.com/se/artist/internet-friends/533951685

How D'You Like Me Now?

Internet Friends - How D’You Like Me Now?

Hannah Aldridge injects darkness into the vein of Americana with 'Dorero', new single from upcoming album.

Hannah Aldridge grew up on the muddy banks of Muscle Shoals—her birthright is music and Alabama. A reckoning between her coming-of-age in the South and a lifetime of trying to create an identity outside of it, her songs strike a delicate balance between rebellion and self-discovery. These two themes weave through Aldridge’s gifted storytelling, making for records that soothe like a lullaby and crack like a whip. For those raised in the Bible Belt, Aldridge’s music sounds like the voice of an old friend who understands. For those not in the know, her music is an initiation to the dark side of the South, Christian fundamentalism and the struggle to forge a future in a place haunted by its past.

Now the Nashville-based artist presents her new single 'Dorero', the first offering from her upcoming album 'Dream of America', which is set to be released in June 2023 through Swedish alternative indie label, Icons Creating Evil Art.

Daughter of Muscle Shoals legend Walt Aldridge, Hannah started her musical journey as a classically-trained pianist. It wasn’t until her early twenties that she first picked up a guitar and began using music as an outlet to grapple with her demons. With a voice equal parts gritty and melodic, the emerging artist took to the road, entertaining crowds in ten countries and three continents with her acclaimed debut album 'Razor Wire', superb follow-up 'Gold Rush' and 'Live in Black and White' -a beautifully captured live album recorded in London, England.

Aldridge has expanded her artistic vision with the ambitious, cinematic 'Dream of America'. A highly collaborative project, produced in three corners of the world with renowned Melbourne based artist/producer Lachlan Bryan, producer/engineer Damian Cafarella and Swedish mix engineer Frans Hägglund, the record peers through the lens of fading Hollywood starlets, charming psychopaths and weary vagabonds -navigating society’s underbelly through dark, romantic vignettes. Hannah’s haunting vocals, assisted by her father’s expert vocal production, deliver a cathartic message of defiance.

Hannah Aldridge’s fierce Southern energy reaches through every speaker, whether it’s in a dashboard doing 80 down I-65, a rock club in Amsterdam or a Honky Tonk in her adopted hometown of Nashville. The new album treads a fine line between the genial charm of Americana, and the raw, hypnotic and occasionally electronic stylings of what some might like to call ‘noir indie pop’. It is music for those looking to confront their demons without remaining tethered to them.

Deploying a charming blend of power and vulnerability, Aldridge delivers her stories with all the conviction of a church bell ringing out through the streets of a small Alabama town.

'Dorero' will be released on all major platforms on March 3, 2023 via Icons Creating Evil Art.

Dream of America

Hannah Aldridge - Dorero (radio edit)

Platinum selling duo 'flora cash' takes breaking new artist Murdo Mitchell under their wings and release new version of ‘Your Skin’ together.

After a prolific 2022, which saw him release a flurry of exciting efforts including ‘Lies’, ‘Jaded’ and ‘Ghosts’, which garnered support from the likes of Earmilk, Wonderland and Ones To Watch, singer-songwriter Murdo Mitchell returns once again to unveil the flora cash remix of his iconic single ‘Your Skin’.

Following on from the release of the WNDR remix of ‘Ghosts’ last month, flora cash’s rework of ‘Your Skin’ is also the debut remix release from the platinum-certified Swedish duo. Reflecting Mitchell’s own passionate voice with a raw and driven electro-rock production heightens the intensity behind the original release, and makes for a brilliantly riveting listening experience throughout. It is the first remix the Swedish duo have officially made and chose specifically for label comrade Murdo.

Your Skin (flora cash Remix)

Buy/Stream

Murdo Mitchell - Your Skin (flora Cash Remix)

Dreamy soundscapes, urban beats and nordic coolness is what you get when you throw Positano, Milan, and Gothenburg into a stylish mix. Add to that Claudio Pallone, Alfonso Fusco, and Aldo Axha and you get Emmecosta. Unknown to most, the post-club trio hails from a small town in Italy called Positano, but has been residing, recording and releasing most of their music in Sweden for the past seven years. After coming to consider themselves Swedish nationals, without forgetting their italian roots, the group are aiming to portray and develop the Swedish/Italian connection through their forthcoming work.

Developing their sound around that dream like state of walking home alone after a night out, accompanied only by the sunrise, Emmecosta has already gotten repeated airplay here in Scandinavia (P3, P4 and YleX), and has attracted international features from the likes of Clash, Noisey and Complex Magazine. Clash Magazine quite brilliantly described the trio's music as “post-club tropical indie soul” and Noisy praised them for their “blissed out electronics with a liquid feel”. In many ways, Emmecosta communicate intoxicating atmospheres with their dream-pop, reminiscent of Washed Out, where muffled vocals paint the landscape and guide the listener to melt into nature. Envisaging James Blake’s sonic usage of space with their productions and songwriting worthy of a seat alongside Gold Panda, Belgrave and NOVAA; Emmecosta could fit right into London’s Bass scene. Stereogum complimented their awareness of space in production, citing “they have a deft touch that gives each element room to breathe.”

Dedicating their music ideas to time and place and “living in the moment”, while feeling split between their lives in Italy and Sweden results in a sound that feels comfortable and contemplative all at once. Pairing up with Swedish boutique music label ICEA at its dawning in 2015, listeners were introduced to Emmecosta’s two nocturnal EPs 'Untied' and 'Velour' at the end of 2016 and the dawn of 2017, with synths, punctuated guitar and silky vocals that evoke memories of Phoenix (circa 2004). Now the Positano natives are at last preparing the release of their long awaited debut album of 5 years. The full-lenght is called “Overnight”, and features 10 new exquisite tracks, that keep exploring and enhancing that sense of self-awareness in the calming hours after a party, just before bed.

Emmecosta - Laek

Fresh from supporting The Libertines on the Nordic leg of their 2022 tour, Internet Friends have revealed their debut album “Dressed To Kill” is on the way - celebrating the news with their new single “How D’You Like Me Now?” - listen here, and now team up and collaborate with Bentley Rhythm Ace on new remix. Based in Birmingham, Bentley Rhythm Ace are Mike Stokes (aka Michael Barrywhoosh) and ex- bassist Richard March (aka Barry Island). The group were made popular in the lat 90s and to date when they released music for Brighton's big-beat Skint label, attracting wide acclaim for their energetic, irreverent blend of hip-hop, funk, and the bizarre lounge, jazz, and exotica records that initially brought them together.  "This Is Carbootechnodiscobooto" 

The BRA pair have also cultivated something of a devoted club following through their campy live performances, which often involve strange and unusual costumes and props (probably originating from the same car boots as their records). 

Fredrik Soila, Jakob Falkendal and Noel Hassling-Offrell as Internet Friends are in their element on “How D’You Like Me Now?” with the band describing this new track “as proof that rock music can move forward in a good way. It throws the listener between a messy punk club and your own bedroom”.

Sink your teeth into Internet Friends now. You’ll only get hungry later. 

---

More from Internet Friends
Official Linktree: https://icea.ffm.to/internetfriends
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/internetfriendsgbg 
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/internwtfriends
Twitter: https://twitter.com/internwtfriends
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/721irRL7arkfrdGgkOImcM
Apple Music: https://music.apple.com/se/artist/internet-friends/533951685

How D'You Like Me Now? (Bentley Rhythm Ace Remix)

Internet Friends - How D'You Like Me Now? (Bentley Rhythm Ace Remix)

Darkplace enters the spotlight with the imaginative post-punk track 'Arken Över Hesselby', dropping on March 17th
 
Darkplace is an anonymous band that has recently emerged on the music scene, set to release their debut album 'About The End Of The World' in the autumn of 2023. Their music is rooted in post punk, but incorporates a variety of other genres in their sound. The concept behind the album is centred around a grim future, or perhaps present, where the world is depicted through digital paintings in the accompanying music videos. The imagery is inspired by the bleak landscape of Stockholm's Västerort, but with a unique and imaginative twist.

The debut single 'Arken Över Hesselby' translates to 'The Ark Over Hesselby', pointing towards an alternative version of the Stockholm suburb "Hässelby". It's video shows us a familiar cityscape, haunted by an unknown presence watching form the sky.

Darkplace is not only about releasing music. It is an art project that seeks to explore and comment on the state of the world through their music and visuals. As a new and enigmatic figure in the music industry, Darkplace is sure to turn heads with their innovative approach to creating art.

'Arken Över Hesselby' will be released via the Stockholm based indie label Icons Creating Evil Art, streamable on all major platforms on March 17th, 2023.

Arken Över Hesselby

Darkplace - Arken Över Hesselby

Legendary Jamaican dancehall reggae DJ Burro Banton collaborate with Swedish producer duo PAPA Sound on new single Good In Di Street, the single is the first 'trap mix' released of the single, and PAPA Sound have a couple more versions in the pipe line. 

Burro Banton (born Donovan Spalding; 27 December 1956 in Kingston, Jamaica) is a dancehall reggae deejay popular in the mid-1980s and 1990s. He is most famous for his anthem "Boom Wah Dis", which was recorded on the Steely & Clevie riddim called "Street Sweeper".

Burro emerged during the mid-1980s at the beginning of the digital dancehall craze started by King Jammy that also featured artists like Cutty Ranks. He is known for his very aggressive style; deep, gruff voice; and was the inspiration for many modern dancehall artists like Buju Banton, Bounty Killer, and Elephant Man.
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PAPA Sound is a Swedish producer duo focused on creating bass driven, dancehall, afrobeat, and reggae tunes. Founded by Patrik Arve and Paolo Albo, Papa Sound became a duo in the year 2020. The name PAPA comes from their given names initials Paolo Albo and Patrik Arve.  In their songs, they vent the issues and passions they have in common, from social injustice or environmental issues to just their love for music

“Usually we are looking for the spark in the gap between different genres. For us, 90% of good music is all about the attitude. It's more important than your actual "skill". Hence our love for punk, hip-hop and reggae. We are baking outernational musical biscuits full of bass and riddim. The vocals are, at this point, made by guests from Jamaica or Africa and is considered the icing on the cake.”


Patrik Arve is one third of the award winning group Teddybears with hits like “Cobrastyle” featuring the Jamaican Mad Cobra, the song has the song has at this point 50 million streams. Arve and Teddybears have made songs with Beenieman, Ninjaman, Elephantman, Busy Signal, Cutty Ranks, Ward 21, Wiley, Kano, Ghetts, Iggy Pop, Eve, Robyn, Neneh Cherry to name a few.

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More from Burro Banton
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/5JbSHdkU5r5zOi5aj4JBrP
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/burrobanton
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/originalburrobanton

More from PAPA Sound
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/papasoundmusic
Tik Tok: https://www.tiktok.com/@papasoundmusic
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/2kZZNz7W2Qs6kXVEM7T8oj
Apple Music: https://music.apple.com/ba/artist/papa-sound/1531077836

PAPA Sound X Burro Banton - Good In Di Street (Trap Version)

Maple & Rye is back with new single “17”, a bittersweet flirt with death and the sentiment of never growing old
 
What do Kings of Leon, Sam Fender and Sharon Van Etten have in common? Apart from being top of the shelf artists, they all released a track named something along the lines of “17”. After their latest holiday release and unexpected success in New Years salute ‘NYE’ on Christmas day, Maple & Rye now joins the trend and present their new single called simply: “17”.

Indie folk quintet Maple & Rye released their hotly-anticipated, and for many years frequently requested, debut album 'For Everything' in the summer of 2020 via Icons Creating Evil Art. Later that year the band surprised their fans with a pair of Christmas releases in their cover of 'White Christmas' and the much appreciated original ‘NYE’, which climbed high on Spotifys Holiday theamed playlists. Now the band is back with another stand-alone single to be released just on the brink of summer, May 17 2023. The band tells us: “17”  is a roughly packaged flirt with death and the feeling of never growing old. We aimed to capture the feeling of forever young but also the feeling of not knowing if you’re ever going to grow old. A kind of desperation and cockyness in one; a cocktail which is not uncommon in the late teenage years.”

So, how does one go about capturing all this? Maple & Rye's method was to record in the old and rustic studios of Nacksving in Gothenburg, and let lead singer Leo’s voice crack from exhaustion before even hitting the record button. Deciding on a straight up live recording, to really try and mirror the genuine nature of the song, the band then let the creative wizard/producer Luke Smith (Depeche Mode, Foals) work his magic. Known for his skill at analog mixing and producing, Luke’s touch undeniably injects yet another level of authenticity and invigoration into the new track.

The band has always had a vision of keeping their music and the experience true to its core, both for their own as well as their fans sake. Vocal harmonies and soulful melodies blend seamlessly with bombastic drums, danceable rhythms and grand choruses. The jubilant overall sentiment of the songs stand in stark contrasts to a palpable quality of brittleness and inwardness, resulting in a powerful combination that gives Maple & Rye their characteristic sound. It is music that changes from being playful to intimate in a single heartbeat.

Maple & Rye - 17

Darkplace is back to give us another glimpse of their extensive and grim universe with new singel Fearmonger
 
Darkplace is an anonymous band that has recently emerged on the music scene, set to release their debut album 'About the End of the World' in the autumn of 2023. Their music is rooted in post punk, but incorporates a variety of other genres in their sound. The concept behind the album is centred around a grim future, or perhaps present, where the world is depicted through digital paintings in the accompanying music videos. The imagery is inspired by the bleak landscape of Stockholm's Västerort, but with a unique and imaginative twist.

Most of the instrumental songs on 'About the End of the World' were written with a specific dramaturgy and story in mind, which shows in the cinematic short movie-like music videos. Darkplace gives us an intriging insight to their creative process. "The first idea for an animation was Arken Över Hesselby. We started creating the art before we had the music, so the piece is written as a soundtrack to the animation. Same goes with Fearmonger."

The art is a multi layered process that involve photography, sculpting, oli painting, digital editing and animation. Darkplace explains: "For structures like The Ark over Hesselby Nomad Sculpt is used to form it, then the motives are exported in the specific angle each scene requires and is imported into Procreate to be painted there. We use oil paintbrushes and paint over the photo. It is layers upon layers and it gets messy. Exporting gets even messier since we want depth in the scenes and need to export them in layered depths. A few scenes in this project have been frame by frame animated as well. This projekt has taken almost 2 years so far, so we try to kept it to a minimal."

The debut single 'Arken över Hesselby' translates to 'The Ark Over Hesselby', pointing towards an alternative version of the Stockholm suburb "Hässelby". It's video shows us a familiar cityscape, haunted by an unknown presents watched form the sky. With 'Fearmonger' the story trasports us to another part of the same daunting universe, to vittnes the fate of a lone fot soldier in the face of the mysterious Ark.

It comes as no surprice that Darkplace is about far more than just releaseing exelent music. It is an art project that seeks to explore and comment on the state of the world through audio and visuals. As a new and enigmatic force in the music industry, Darkplace is sure to turn heads with their innovative approach to creating art.

'Fearmonger' will be released via the Stockholm based indie label Icons Creating Evil Art, streamable on all major platforms on May 19th, 2023.

Fearmonger

Darkplace - Fearmonger

Hannah Aldridge seeks to portrait the underbelly of America with a Noir Hollywood/Dark Americana take on the Talking Heads hit 'Psycho Killer'

Hannah Aldridge grew up on the muddy banks of Muscle Shoals—her birthright is music and Alabama. A reckoning between her coming-of-age in the South and a lifetime of trying to create an identity outside of it, her songs strike a delicate balance between rebellion and self-discovery. These two themes weave through Aldridge’s gifted storytelling, making for records that soothe like a lullaby and crack like a whip. For those raised in the Bible Belt, Aldridge’s music sounds like the voice of an old friend who understands. For those not in the know, her music is an initiation to the dark side of the South, Christian fundamentalism and the struggle to forge a future in a place haunted by its past.

Now the Nashville-based artist presents her third single ‘Psycho Killer’, a cover of the Talking Heads hit from 77 in a new eerie Dark Americana setting. The single is featured on the upcoming full-length album 'Dream of America', which is set to be released in June 2023 through Swedish alternative indie label, Icons Creating Evil Art.

Hannah tells us: "We chose to cover ‘Psycho Killer’ because we wanted to do something fitting for the landscape of the record but also not obvious. Most of the songs on the record are about the underbelly of America and the lyrics to ‘Psycho Killer’ fit in with that theme perfectly. We wanted to to make sure we represented the song in a way that felt like my music but also didn’t take away from the original song."

While researching previous portraits of the widely interpreted song, Hannah found that the plethoria of covers lacked a version which approached the song from a beautiful Noir angle. "I had to really sing this song a lot of times to figure out how I wanted to deliver it and how to keep it consistent with the other songs on the record." Hannah explains and goes on; "In the end I decided to sing it like I was almost talking to myself under my breath and doing a call and response with the voices in my head. I felt like that approach made it even more unsettling when you lay the lyrics on top of this laid back beautiful music."

Hannah Aldridge’s fierce Southern energy reaches through every speaker, whether it’s in a dashboard doing 80 down I-65, a rock club in Amsterdam or a Honky Tonk in her adopted hometown of Nashville. The new album treads a fine line between the genial charm of Americana, and the raw, hypnotic and occasionally electronic stylings of what some might like to call ‘noir indie pop’. It is music for those looking to confront their demons without remaining tethered to them, and this new single is no exception.

‘Psycho Killer’ will be released on all major platforms on May 19, 2023 via Icons Creating Evil Art.

Psycho Killer

Hannah Aldridge - Psycho Killer

Oslo-native and up-and-coming DJ/producer WNDR is back with his brand-new single ‘Get Down’ releasing 26th May 2023 via Icons Creating Evil Art.

The new track ‘Get Down’ showcases WNDR’s ability to venture deep into the realms of tropical house, showcasing catchy synths, a deep bassline and a strong, melodic female vocal. Just in time for summer, the catchy house track is perfect for those looking to let loose on the dancefloor, but still remaining loyal.

Speaking of the new single, WNDR said: “This is a track I made while I was in a weird place in my life in general but also career wise, so it kind of helped me out of a ruff spot and back to what I love, making music. With ‘Get Down’ I got back to having fun with the production aspects. I’ve played around with a lot of swing on the progression to give it a natural feel. This one is possibly one of my favourite tracks to play in my sets at the moment because of the reactions I get on the dance floors.”

WNDR began developing his ear for beats and melodies at the age of just 10 years old after taking after his father and learning the art of DJing. You only have to look at WNDR’s discography to see the raw talent the Norwegian DJ and producer has. 

At 32 years of age, WNDR has already put in two decades of work and gained a reputation for himself in the club scene of his hometown, landed Top 10 tracks in the UK and Ireland and toured heavily across Europe. He went platinum in Norway with his debut single ‘Medicine’ (nearing 5 million streams and still counting), and the song was also playlisted on Norwegian P3. He later went on to release ‘Human’ which went straight into NRK P3s playlist and ‘Higher - WNDR Remix’ by Lemaitre which got playlisted on Kiss FM, played on SiriusXM as well as grabbed the attention of well-renowned DJ Martin Garrix.

WNDR has gone on to release more outstanding hits with industry-leading labels such as Crosswalk Records, Sony and Epic Tones Records.

WNDR’s new single ‘Get Down’ is due for release on 26th May 2023 via Icons Creating Evil Art.

More from WNDR
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/martinswyr/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WNDRMusic/
Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@martinswyr
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/7BXomU2x3VZogFb0keMZHf
Apple Music: https://music.apple.com/us/artist/wndr/1065015111

WNDR - Get Down

”Vi fick frågan om att spela Björn Afzelius låt “Sång till friheten” på en väns begravning i vintras.
Det var något som hände när vi spelade den. Vi alla grät, det kändes verkligen som att vår
vän var med oss, och nånstans i all oändlig sorg var det som att en dörr öppnade sig på glänt.
En dörr till något annat - något hoppfullt, något fint. En dörr till livet - det dyraste i världen.
Något som kunde ta oss igenom de tyngsta dagarna men som också kunde fylla oss med glädje och hoppfullhet livets andra dagar.
Därför valde vi att tillsammans med Anton Olsson spela in vår version. Vi hoppas att den ska
kunna ge glädje och hoppfullhet till andra också - både när det är som allra tyngst men också på en rofylld, härlig och fin junidag som idag. 
Det tror vi hade gjort vår vän stolt och hedrad.
Och vi vill med denna låt hedra vår vän, den finaste i världen.
Vi kommer aldrig glömma dig Victor.
Den här är till dig.” – Maple & Rye

Maple & Rye - Sång Till Friheten

Sweden's Electro Clash-queen EMMON celebrates her success with a new remixed version of the hit-album 'RECON'

EMMON (aka Emma Nylén) lates album 'RECON' has been hailed with glowing reviews and nominations for best album by the likes of GAFFA, HYMN and DN. More over the album was awarded "Synth Release of the Year" at the Manifest Gala 2023, won the acclaimed "Release of the Year" by the highly appraised Synthsläggan Awards and the GAFFA Award for "Electro of the Year". Now, Sweden's own Electro Clash queen prepares to drop a remixed version of the celebrated album dubbed 'RECOMIXED', including a series of remix-singles of some of the originals most streamed tracks. First up was ‘Machines’, EMMONs own homage to the electronic music scene, for which she teamed up with ULTRA SUNN and Tobias Bernstrup in two new pumping versions. Next up is French duo Potochkine, taking on album track 'Like A Drum' with their dark techno vibes.

“As an artist and DJ, remixes lie close to my heart. To hear my own songs transformed through a creative process of other artists is comparable to opening presents on Christmas Eve as a child. A kind of magic occurs when the music is expanded in a state that is uncontrollable to me.” // EMMON

From Germany to Peru, Canada to Sweden via Spain and Portugal, Potochkine has been performing in festivals such as the WGT, Extramuralhas, Kalabalik and Bimfest. With their latest album 'Sortilèges', released on vinyl through Young & Cold Records, the French originated duo reinvents EBM via the incandescent blackness of techno, synthpunk and cold wave. The stage under their feet is transformed into a dark alluring place which leads bodies to dance, almost as if in a trance. This summer Potochkine will join the line up of the Amphi Fest alongside bands like Front 242, HMLTD, She Past Away, La Femme, Minuit Machine and Erol Alkan, binging with them thier new remix of EMMON's 'Like a Drum'.

Aside from the preparations for the new 'RECOMIXED' album, EMMON has also had a busy year with her live-band, playing show all over Europe. Some highlights is her sold out concert at the Modern Museum in Stockholm (SE), her support-slot for D.A.F. (Robert Görl) in Copenhagen (DK) and her upcoming performance at this summers NCN Festival in Leipzig (DE). As a well known DJ, EMMON is also making several appearances on the club-scene and has recently hosted the radio music show P3MIX on Swedish National Radio, with electronic and synth-based music.

'Like A Drum (Potochkine Remix)' drops on the 14th of July, while the new fully remixed version of 'RECON' will be released in the autumn of 2023, including names such as ULTRA SUNN, Tobias Bernstrup, Harlem, ZackZackZack and more.

RECONMIXED

Like a Drum (Potochkine Remix)

Emmon - Like A Drum (Potochkine Remix)

Darkplace presents a brand new tale from their extensive, grim universe with new singel Cars!
 
Darkplace is an anonymous band that has recently emerged on the music scene, set to release their debut album 'About the End of the World' in the autumn of 2023. Their music is rooted in post punk, but incorporates a variety of other genres in their sound. The concept behind the album is centred around a grim future, or perhaps present, where the world is depicted through digital paintings in the accompanying music videos. The imagery is inspired by the bleak landscape of Stockholm's Västerort, but with a unique and imaginative twist.

The debut single 'Arken över Hesselby' translates to 'The Ark Over Hesselby', pointing towards an alternative version of the Stockholm suburb "Hässelby". It's video shows us a familiar cityscape, haunted by an unknown presence watching form the sky. Its successor 'Fearmonger', transports us to another part of the same daunting universe, where we bare witness to the fate of a lone fot soldier as he faces with the ominous Ark. With the new single 'Cars', the story moves on to a man travelling north, following cryptic messages written on highway signs that mysteriously only shows up in the blast of his headlights. Is he the only one that can see and follow the trail?
 
"Trying to escape this psychotic slow burning apocalypse is not easy. Nowhere is safe. These weird structures and phenomena seem to occur everywhere, all around the world. Nowhere is safe."

Most of the instrumental songs on 'About the End of the World' were written with a specific dramaturgy and story in mind, which shows in the cinematic short movie-like music videos. Darkplace gives us an intriguing insight to their creative process. "The first idea for an animation was Arken Över Hesselby. We started creating the art before we had the music, so the piece is written as a soundtrack to the animation."

The art is a multi layered process that involve photography, sculpting, oli painting, digital editing and animation. Darkplace explains: "For structures, Nomad Sculpt is used to form it, then the motives are exported in the specific angle each scene requires and is imported into Procreate to be painted there. We use oil paintbrushes and paint over the photo. It is layers upon layers and it gets messy. Exporting gets even messier since we want depth in the scenes and need to export them in layered depths. A few scenes in this project have been frame by frame animated as well. This projekt has taken almost 2 years so far, so we try to kept it to a minimal."

It comes as no surprise that Darkplace is about far more than just releasing excellent music. It is an art project that seeks to explore and comment on the state of the world through audio and visuals. As a new and enigmatic force in the music industry, Darkplace is sure to turn heads with their innovative approach to creating art.

'Cars' will be released via the Stockholm based indie label Icons Creating Evil Art, streamable on all major platforms on August 4th, 2023.

Darkplace - Cars

Art-Pop artist Bonander is back with a powerful and intimate EP, unpicking traumas connected to body and self-image
 
Enigmatic and alluring, Bonander released her visionary debut album, 'Things We Don’t Talk About' through Icons Creating Evil Art on 20th August 2021. The full-length was praised by media giants such as Rolling Stone, It's All indie, High Snobiety and GAFFA.  Now she is back with a new EP called "the thread", unpicking traumas revolving body and self-image. Leaning heavily on its acoustic element, the exquisite arrestments gives the EP's theme an even more naked and exposed edge.

Bonander is the shorthand for Ellinor Sterner Bonander. Sporting the role of musician, arranger and producer, the native Swede is a woman unchained. Boldly charging head first into her own fears in regards to the projects subsect, Bonander got to examine her own body image in a detailed and unforgiving way. It all began at a music residency where the artist spent a lot of time by herself a couple of years ago. She says: "'the thread' has been something of a therapeutic journey for me. I tried to challenge myself by writing on the topic of the body, precisely because it was initially experienced as something difficult and scary. I understood quite quickly that there were things to face and sort out there. I got the desire to, via music, lyric and image, put the spotlight on the self contempt for our bodies I and many others have, with the hope that it might lead to something else entirely."

Known for her cinematic soundscapes filled of dense bass lines, playful synth melodies and orchestral elements, Bonander sought to scale down the bombastic arrangements and let the music be more bare and intimate then her earlier work. “musically I wanted to go in a different direction. The challenge was to be as stripped down in the production as I dared, in the same way as the vulnerability in the lyrics I wrote.” she tell us.  
To further capture the essence and emotion of the music, she decided to record the EP live and contacted the pianist, organizer and colleague Sara Hermansson. Together they recorded and arranged five out of the EPs six tracksapart form it'sfirst single 'the loop', which Bonander wrote and arranged by herself. “The recordings are live takes where we play together without a metronome. I am incredibly grateful for Sara's artistry that’s contributed greatly to this work. She even lent me a piano piece she’s written as the outro of this Ep. As the icing on the cake, I also got to record the fantastic violinist Elias Sjöwall. Together, I hope we convey something fragile, naked and a little beautifully broken to the listener.”

“the thread” encourages the listener to join in discourse of uncomfortable topics and challenge the harmful social strukturs that is still very much in place. “We live in such an incredibly exposed society when it comes to appearance.” says Bonander. “As children, we are told that it is the inside that counts, but in every room you are in, it is disproved time and time again. In the workplace, at home, in love life, in the media. Appearance is capital and it's not until we acknowledge it that we can work towards it”.

‘the loop’ is the first single of upcoming EP 'the thread', released everywhere on September 29th, 2023 via Icons Creating Evil Art.

the thread

the loop

Bonander - the loop

REACH is back from their Europe tour with another crushing rock-anthem in new single Mama Mama
 
Recently recovered from an extensive and wildly successful tour around Europe supporting H.E.A.T., as well as the highly anticipated album release ‘The Promise of a Life’, REACH is back with a new thrilling tale in a punching Rock N’ Roll attire. ‘Mama Mama’ is the first offering from the band's brand new album and jump-starts the campaign with a healthy portion of energy, drama and attitude.

Apart from its high intensity and satisfactory rock casing, the song has some intriguing and horrifying storytelling wrapped in the grinding guitars and powerful vocal performance. Front singer and songwriter Ludvig Turner tells us about the dark lyrical theme of the single; “Mama Mama is one of the darkest songs from the new album. It’s written from the perspective of a kid seeing his parents fight, believing it's his fault. Classic… Mom beats dad to death and the kid worries what's gonna happen next. It all ends with him beating mommy to death”

REACH is known to incorporate a dramatic flare into their music, both musically and through their lyrics, and the new song does not disappoint! In this new album, the band teamed up with music producer Christian Schneider, who made it his mission to unite the playful essence of REACH’s music with their raw talent as musicians. Turner goes on to explain about his songwriting process: “I´m not really fantasizing about doing or experiencing the things I write about, but I will see or hear something really strange and then wanna make music and a story about it. This song takes inspiration from an interview Dr Phil did with a Teen named Zachary Davis. It is some dark horrific stuff, nothing for the faint of heart. But that's what I saw and “Mama Mama” is what came out of it.”

The trio consisting of Ludvig Turner, Marcus Johansson and Soufian Ma’Aoui is characterized by their mutual passion for music, their drive for experimentation and finding a very genuine joy in the process. The bond that connects the three musicians is evident in their explosive and unforgettable live shows, where their innate musical ability is bolstered by their unchained nature and love for improvisation.

After the extensive tour around Europe alongside H.E.A.T, Turner tells us: "We´re overwhelmed by the support and reactions from the tour. It was our first time playing the songs of "The Promise of a Life" live and they sound even better live than on record, and they sound damn well on record. We´re thankful for our chance to go out as H.E.A.T´s support act and we´re confident that we should keep doing what we do."

While making a name for themselves around Europe, steadily growing in supporters and fans, Reach opens this new era in thier Rock-Saga with a track that will no doubt keep their audience jumping and dancing. ‘Mama Mama’ is out September 15th via Swedish Boutique Label Icons Creating Evil Art.

Prophecy

Mama Mama

REACH - Mama Mama

Darkplace släpper de sista bitarna av sin episka berättelse om världens undergång med det nya albumet "About The End Of The World"

Darkplace är ett anonymt konstprojekt som intog musikscenen med imponerande närvaro och unikt berättarskap tidigare detta år. Musiken är rotad i postpunk men inspireras av en mängd andra genrer i sin komposition, där bland annat Experimentell Rock, Alt-Pop och Shoegaze är framträdande. Debutalbumet 'About the End of the World' är en monumental release som inte bara talar genom ljudmediet, utan också genom vackra och dystra digitala målningar och animationer. Konceptet bakom albumet utspelar sig i en mörk framtid eller kanske en alternativ nutid, där världen skildras i bilder inspirerade av verkliga platser, ofta centrerat kring det karga betonglandskapet i Stockholms Västerort, i en skrämmande  fantasifull tolkning.

Debutsingeln 'Arken över Hesselby' (video) skildrar en kuslig version av Stockholmsförorten "Hässelby". Videon visar oss en välbekant stadsbild, hemsökt av en okänd ark som iakttar från ovan. Dess efterträdare 'Fearmonger' (video) eller 'Skräckmakaren' tog oss till en annan del av samma universum, där vi vittnar om en ensam soldats öde när han står öga mot öga med den skrämmande luftfarkosten. I den tredje singeln 'Cars' (video) fokuserar historien på en man som följer kryptiska meddelanden på motorvägsskyltar norrut, och i den senaste singeln 'This Is Loud' (video) är vi tillbaka i Västeort, där lokalbefolkningen  skakas av oförklarliga enorma stenkors.

"Jag kunde inte gå ut längre, jag kände mig inte säker. Allt hängde ihop, jag vet inte hur men vi visste alla att det var en del av något större. I hemliga forum diskuterade vi. Vi visste vad det innebar, världen höll på att gå under. Är det möjligt att överleva detta? Kommer vi alla att bli galna? Ingenstans är säkert."

Låtarna på 'About the End of the World' skrevs alla med en specifik dramaturgi i åtanke. De filmiska musikvideorna beter sig närmast som kortfilmer, med egna berättelser från olika delar av det dystopiska universum som Darkplace skapat. Konstnären själv ger oss en spännande inblick i den kreativa processen: "Den första idén till en animation var Arken Över Hesselby. Jag började skapa konsten innan jag hade musiken, så stycket är skrivet som ett soundtrack till animationen."

Skapandeprocessen har flera lager som innefattar fotografi, skulptering, oljemålning, digital redigering och animering. Darkplace förklarar: "För strukturer som ‘Arken över Hesselby’ används Nomad Sculpt för att sätta formen, sedan exporteras motiven i specifika vinklar för varje scen och importeras till Procreate för att målas där. jag använder mig av oljepenslar och målar över fotot och skapar på så sätt en lager på lager-process. Det blir lätt rörigt och exporten blir ännu stökigare eftersom jag vill ha djup i scenerna och exporterar dem i olika lagerdjup. Några scener i det här projektet har också animerats bild för bild. Projekt har tagit nästan 2 år hittills, så jag försöker hålla det  rent och enkelt när det går."

Men sitt ambitiösa världs-skapande och berättande kommer det knappast som en överraskning att Darkplace har ett större fokus än enbart sin musik. Projektet vill utforska och kritisera tillståndet i världen genom ljud och bild och kommer säkerligen att vända huvuden med sitt innovativa tillvägagångssätt att skapa konst och diskussion.

’About the End of the World' släppas via det Stockholmsbaserade indie-etiketten Icons Creating Evil Art, streambar på alla större plattformar den 27 oktober 2023.

The End

Darkplace - The End

Art-Pop artist Bonander is back with a powerful and intimate EP, unpicking traumas connected to body and self-image
 

Enigmatic and alluring, Bonander released her visionary debut album, 'Things We Don’t Talk About' through Icons Creating Evil Art on 20th August 2021. The full-length was praised by media giants such as Rolling Stone, It's All indie, High Snobiety and GAFFA.  Now she is back with a new EP called "the thread", unpicking traumas revolving body and self-image. Leaning heavily on its acoustic element, the exquisite arrestments gives the EP's theme an even more naked and exposed edge.
 

Bonander is the shorthand for Ellinor Sterner Bonander. Sporting the role of musician, arranger and producer, the native Swede is a woman unchained. Boldly charging head first into her own fears in regards to the projects subsect, Bonander got to examine her own body image in a detailed and unforgiving way. It all began at a music residency where the artist spent a lot of time by herself a couple of years ago. She says: "'the thread' has been something of a therapeutic journey for me. I tried to challenge myself by writing on the topic of the body, precisely because it was initially experienced as something difficult and scary. I understood quite quickly that there were things to face and sort out there. I got the desire to, via music, lyric and image, put the spotlight on the self contempt for our bodies I and many others have, with the hope that it might lead to something else entirely."
 

But the EP doesn't focus solemnly on the negative thoughts we tend to have about the body. New single 'the void' is one of the songs that approach the subject more kindly, although still very intimate. Bonander tells us: "One of the more naked and warm thoughts about the body I encountered during this trip is the song the void, which deals with the desire of the body. To be attracted to someone, to long, to listen to the will of the body, disconnected from the rational, from norm and from prejudice. I think this feeling is easily suffocated under a lot of silly notions, and body anxiety is one of them for me. The void is my way of breaking free and admitting what I long for. The title reflects the endless sea of ​​desire and longing my body and the bodies of others carry with it. It looks different for everyone - but it's there."
 

Known for her cinematic soundscapes filled of dense bass lines, playful synth melodies and orchestral elements, Bonander sought to scale down the bombastic arrangements and let the music be more bare and intimate then her earlier work. “musically I wanted to go in a different direction. The challenge was to be as stripped down in the production as I dared, in the same way as the vulnerability in the lyrics I wrote.” she tell us. To further capture the essence and emotion of the music, she decided to record the EP live and contacted the pianist, organizer and colleague Sara Hermansson. “The recordings are live takes where we play together without a metronome. I am incredibly grateful for Sara's artistry that’s contributed greatly to this work. She even lent me a piano piece she’s written as the outro of this Ep. As the icing on the cake, I also got to record the fantastic violinist Elias Sjöwall. Together, I hope we convey something fragile, naked and a little beautifully broken to the listener.”
 

“the thread” encourages the listener to join in discourse of uncomfortable topics and challenge the harmful social strukturs that is still very much in place. “We live in such an incredibly exposed society when it comes to appearance.” says Bonander. “As children, we are told that it is the inside that counts, but in every room you are in, it is disproved time and time again. In the workplace, at home, in love life, in the media. Appearance is capital and it's not until we acknowledge it that we can work towards it”.

the void

Bonander - The Void

REACH unveils their latest single "A Million Lives" from the upcoming album "Prophecy"

REACH is making waves in the international Rock scéne. The upcoming new album's electrifying first single, "Mama Mama," has been on a remarkable run, featuring for three consecutive months on Radio Bob, one of Germany's largest commercial radio stations. The track's popularity continues to surge, as it's now being played on Star FM (Berlin/Nürnberg) and has also garnered support from Radio 21. This notable achievement places "Mama Mama" on three of the four biggest rock stations in Germany. But the excitement doesn't end there. "Little Dreams," the album's captivating second single, is making its mark in Sweden, earning a spot in the rotation of Bandit Rock. 

---

The dynamic Stockholm-based rock trio REACH is set to captivate the music world once again with their latest single, "A Million Lives," available from January 19th. This release marks another milestone in the band's journey towards their highly anticipated album "Prophecy," scheduled for release on March 29, 2024, under the esteemed Swedish Boutique Label, Icons Creating Evil Art.

"A Million Lives" is a testament to REACH's ability to weave dramatic narratives into their music. Known for their thought-provoking and emotionally charged lyrics, the band takes inspiration from real-life events, infusing a dark, compelling twist. This track delves into the psyche of youth, exploring themes of helplessness, desperation, and the tragic consequences of actions borne out of rage. Written from the perspective of a young individual on the brink of committing a crime, the song is a poignant reflection on the chilling reality of school shootings.

Ludvig Turner, the band's lead vocalist, shares his insights: "School shootings are so freaking dark and terrible in every way, and their increasing occurrence is frightening. We're all victims in this. 'A Million Lives' is our attempt to capture the consciousness of a moment that should never happen, a desperate plea to prevent a tragedy."

Musically, "A Million Lives" starts with an enchanting, almost crooning style before escalating into a full-blown rock anthem, characterized by powerful and gut-wrenching lyrics. The song's dynamic progression mirrors the tumultuous emotions it explores, capturing listeners in its intense narrative.

REACH, comprising Ludvig Turner, Marcus Johansson, and Soufian Ma’Aoui, continues to push musical boundaries. Their collaboration with acclaimed music producer Christian Schneider in crafting the upcoming album "Prophecy" has further honed their distinctive sound, blending playful elements with raw musical talent. This synergy is palpable in their explosive live performances, where their passion for music and improvisation creates an unforgettable experience.

Following their successful tour supporting H.E.A.T. across Europe, REACH has seen their popularity soar, with their previous singles gaining extensive airplay on major radio stations in Germany and Sweden.

"A Million Lives" is more than a song; it's a reflection of our times, a call to awareness, and a showcase of REACH's remarkable artistry. Be ready to experience the intensity and emotion of this powerful track. 

D I S C O V E R
Facebook: http:// https://www.facebook.com/reachofficialsweden
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/reachband
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/c/REACHsweden
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TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@reachsweden

A Million Lives

REACH - A Million Lives

ICEA is a boutique music label and publisher with the intention of evoking feelings and reactions, we want to provoke, inspire, create, destroy, and disrupt old structures while having fun doing so. We sign and develop new talent from the ever evolving field of pop music. Fighting conservatism since 2015